why did they go around?
As I understand it, they didn't. 8500ft 250+ kts at 13dme - they overflew the airport at, I think, several thousand feet.
This flight was airborne for some 65 minutes and the emergency was declared approx 30 mins out of Dubai, in Bahrain's FIR and around 100 miles from Doha - that puts them in the middle of the Gulf - the only options therefore, were ditching or trying to make it to Doha/Abu Dhabi/Dubai/Kish island. Ditching in the gulf would be further cimplicated by the huge number of oil platforms out there. I understand then why the elected to divert - what I don't get is why not Doha - they were closer and already headed in the correct direction?